A Labour of Love
by ScarletCourt
Summary: A child is born on a summer night in 1920. My take on the birth of Baby Branson. Inspired by pictures in The Chronicles of Downton Abbey. WARNING: Spoilers for 3x01 and further along in S3. Nominated in the Oneshot category for the January 2013 Highclere Awards.


**A/N:** I know that I promised to write some of Sybil and Tom's adventures as a married couple in Dublin, but after seeing the picture of them and baby Branson and the picture of Sybil in bed and Mary sitting with her in _The Chronicles of Downton Abbey_ last week, I couldn't help myself and came up with this as my offering for the birth of baby Branson, which I'm sure will be rendered AU once the episode of the birth airs. :) Same universe as _The Journey to Happiness_ and _With Love from Dublin_. (**Warning:** Spoilers for 3x01 and later in S3)

Thanks to _Tripp3235_ for a quick beta of the story._  
_

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. All Downton Abbey characters belong to Julian Fellowes and ITV. I'm just playing with them.

**Birth**

During Sybil's last weeks of pregnancy, her back had hurt, her feet had swelled, when she could see them, and she could barely sleep long enough before swift punches to her bladder would send her running to the bathroom for relief. Tom had been a help wherever he could, fetching her whatever she asked for and some things she didn't know she wanted until he brought them to her.

Toward the end, during a tea at The Dower House, the Dowager Countess chastised her for not going into confinement and Sybil just smiled. "Dr. Byrne said I should keep active, Granny. It's hard to keep active if I'm lying in bed all day."

The Dowager Countess looked at her. "In my day, I would have been hidden away long before this."

"It's 1920, Granny!" Edith came to her rescue. "We've seen the horrors of war. There's no need to hide the joy of a baby."

"I won't ask what your husband has to say." The Dowager sniffed and returned to drinking her tea.

* * *

What had started out as a backache one day, gradually became more intense as the night wore on. No position in bed made any difference. No amount of back rubbing Tom did touched the ache. Sybil walked the corridor in the middle of the night in order to let Tom get some sleep.

The following morning when they were dressing together, Tom stared at her profile. "Are you feeling any different?"

"No," said Sybil, puzzled. "Why are you staring at me?"

Tom glanced up at her face. "Look at your profile in the mirror."

Seeing her profile in the morning light, Sybil realized that the baby had dropped in the night, which meant that the birth was near. She smiled at Tom. "It should be soon now."

"Yes, it ought." Tom walked over to his wife and caressed her belly from behind and kissed Sybil's cheek. Looking in the mirror, he added, "We'll see you soon, little one."

* * *

As the day wore on, Sybil had a strong desire to rearrange their room. After lunch, she went upstairs and started pulling out all their belongings from the wardrobe and the drawers. When Tom came in after a tour of the grounds with Matthew, Sybil had taken all their clothes out of the wardrobe, out of the drawers and things were everywhere.

Tom put down some papers on the desk, the only free spot in the room. "What are you doing, Sybil? I thought your back hurt?"

"It still does a little, but it's better than before." Sybil smiled at her husband. "I just wanted everything in place for the baby."

"Would you like some help?" Tom offered, knowing that Sybil would never ask.

"Yes, please." Sybil handed him some folded clothing. "Can you put that in the wardrobe, on the bottom shelf?"

"Certainly, love." Tom took the pile from Sybil and put it on the bed. "Let me take my jacket off first."

They worked feverishly to put things where Sybil wanted them, which Tom thought for the most part, were almost in the exact same place as they were that morning, though he kept this to himself. With Tom's help, everything was put back in place, before the dinner gong rung, with the baby's clothes and nappies all in one section of the wardrobe and the bassinet ready to receive the baby.

While dressing for dinner, Sybil felt her belly tightening once for a minute or two but then it went away after a little while. This wasn't odd as her belly had tightened once every so often since her seventh month and Dr. Byrne had told her it was perfectly normal. When they were in the drawing room waiting to be led to the dining room, it happened again. She gave Tom a look and he asked if anything was the matter. Before she could answer, Carson came into the drawing room to announce that dinner was served.

It happened again when the fourth course was served. She shot Tom a look across the table and he looked at her, concerned and mouthed, _Are you all right?_ Before Sybil could answer, Lady Grantham commented that Sybil should eat more and Sybil had to reply. She had no appetite, but she smiled at her mother and took another bite. Before dessert arrived, it was occurring nearly with every course with the ache at her back growing more and more painful.

When the women rose to go to the drawing room, her belly tightened once more and Sybil was unable to recover quickly enough to hide her pain. Her hand reached out and clutched at the back of her dining chair. Tom was by her side in an instant before anyone else could react.

Kneeling down and taking her other hand in his, he looked up at her. "Is it time?"

Sybil could only nod and wince while he eased her slowly back to the chair.

Suddenly everyone else was moving. Lady Grantham stood on the other side of the chair, rubbing her back. Lord Grantham was asking Edith to take Pratt to get Dr. Clarkson. Mary was directing Carson to get ready for a birth, while Matthew was rather at a loss of what to do. Mrs. Crawley was trying to tell Sybil to walk it off. The Dowager Countess commented that only heathens walked around to give birth.

Sybil gripped Tom's hand when another contraction seized her abdomen and she squeezed her eyes tight help with the pain. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the look of concern on Tom's face. She reached out to touch it and smiled to ease his worry.

Focussed only on his wife, Tom asked, "Can you walk? Sarah suggested you walk until the pain becomes too much." Dr. Byrne had been Sybil's superior at the women's clinic in Dublin where Sybil had worked and she was Sybil's doctor and had become a close friend of both Sybil and Tom during their time in Dublin that they often referred to by her first name.

"I think so," said Sybil, taking his hand to rise from the chair. Another contraction hit and Sybil sat down again.

"Can one of the footman not carry her?" asked Lord Grantham, his brows furrowed with worry.

Staring at his father-in-law, Tom said in a steady voice, "I will carry Sybil."

"We do not carry our wives, Tom." Lord Grantham raised his voice. "Let Alfred here do the job."

"I will carry my wife, my Lord." Tom held out his hand to tell Alfred to stay put. Alfred looked at his master, who finally acquiesced.

"Tom!" Sybil cried out when another contraction clenched her belly.

Tom then picked Sybil up and carried her upstairs to their room where Anna had turned down the bed and started laying down the sheets and padding for the birth. Seeing Tom enter with Sybil in his arms, Anna moved out of the way quickly. Tom deposited his wife on the bed and adjusted the pillows to help her get as comfortable as possible. Lady Grantham, The Dowager Countess and Mrs. Crawley all followed Tom upstairs and entered the room soon thereafter.

When the older women started talking about the best way to arranged the bedding and what other items might be required, Tom took off his dinner jacket, loosened his tie, sat on the side of the bed beside Sybil and held her hand when another contraction hit her.

Once it was over, Sybil looked down at the wet spot pooling beneath her. "My waters have just broken."

Mrs. Crawley walked over to Tom. "I think you better go now. Sybil will have to change out of her clothes into something that will allow her to give birth."

"No! Don't go, Tom," Sybil pleaded. "Can he stay here until Dr. Clarkson arrives?"

Mrs. Crawley looked between the two. "Very well, stay in that corner, while we get Sybil changed into her birthing gown."

Tom looked at Mrs Crawley. "She's my wife. I think I know how she looks without clothing."

Mrs. Crawley raised an eyebrow and Tom retreated to the other side of the room. Tom studied the wallpaper on that side of the wall in detail, while Mrs. Crawley with Anna helped Sybil out of bed to change behind the screen. Lady Grantham took out Sybil's birthing gown from the wardrobe and helped Sybil with her clothes. Once changed, the three women helped Sybil back into bed while The Dowager commented on Tom's presence. Tom was already waiting for Sybil when she returned to bed. A contraction had come and gone while Sybil was stripped of the clothing she was wearing, hence it took longer than expected.

Tom was holding onto Sybil's hand in the middle of a contraction, when Dr. Clarkson arrived followed by Edith and Mary. Mrs. Crawley immediate walked over to the doctor to give him the current status of the patient. After a discussion in low voices, Dr. Clarkson arrived at the head of the bed beside Tom. The contraction had subsided.

"Lady Sybil, I will need to give you a pelvic examination."

"Of course, doctor." Sybil smiled wanly. Beads of perspiration had appeared on her brow during the last few contractions. "Will you sanitize your hands before?" What Dr. Byrne had taught her on cleanliness at the clinic had become ingrained.

"I'm just about to do that." Dr. Clarkson started to roll up his sleeves. "Mr. Branson, you will have to leave now."

Tom nodded and looked at his wife's face one last time. "Stay strong, my love." Tom kissed her brow and then the hand that was in his.

Sybil nodded and held onto his hand until they could no longer reach one another.

* * *

Tom paced the corridor outside their room until Matthew came upon him.

"Come with me to the library." Matthew smiled. "You're not helping Sybil by wearing down the floor outside the birthing room. Every little noise will have you presuming the worst."

"How do you know?" asked Tom, a little apprehensive that his brother-in-law would know much about childbirth since he only married several months ago.

"Remember, my father was a doctor and my mother was a nurse," said Matthew, clapping Tom on the back. "My father used to tell stories at the dinner table about the births he attended, and my mother often asked whether the fathers were helpful or not." Tom gave Matthew an odd look and Matthew smiled at him. "Come to the library and I'll tell you some stories to pass the time."

Tom trusted Matthew. They had become good friends in the last few months after Matthew asked Tom to be his best man at his wedding to Mary in March. "Very well." Tom smiled wanly at Matthew.

"I promise. You won't regret it."

* * *

After the pelvic examination, Dr. Clarkson looked at Sybil. "You're four finger-widths dilated and about sixty percent effaced. It will be a few hours yet before the baby arrives. I'd try to rest while you can. As you probably know from your time at the clinic in Dublin, you won't get much rest afterward."

"Thank you, Doctor." Sybil smiled at him. The contractions had eased a little.

Turning to Lady Grantham, Dr. Clarkson said, "Bring me enough padding to put under Lady Sybil so the mattress isn't ruined, a basin of water, somewhere to put the umbilical cord and afterbirth, a table to lay out my instruments and a table where the child will be cleaned after birth which will need to be sanitized."

"Of course, doctor," said Lady Grantham. "Whatever you need."

"And something for Lady Sybil to bite down or pull on to tolerate the pain." Dr. Clarkson glanced over at Sybil.

"Can you not give her something for the pain?" asked Lady Grantham.

"No, that may delay labour." Dr. Clarkson. "I would like to supervise the tables being sanitized and I suggest that all of you get some rest while you can. This baby looks to be born in the night."

"I'll stay with Sybil for the time being," said Mary. "It will give us some time to chat."

"I'll come and relieve you in a couple of hours," offered Edith. "I've always like staying up late."

Mary sat down on a chair by the bed. "You should get some rest, Granny. You, too, Mama. You wouldn't want to miss when the baby will be cleaned up."

"I suppose that is my cue to go home." The Dowager Countess walked to the other side of the bed. "I can see the baby in the morning. You'll do fine, Sybil dear. I have faith."

"Thank you, Granny." Sybil smiled when the older woman patted her on the shoulder. "We'll see you in the morning." The Dowager Countess waved and left the room.

"I hope you don't mind, if I come with you Dr. Clarkson." Mrs. Crawley called after Dr. Clarkson.

"Don't talk too much, girls," said Lady Grantham with a smile. "Sybil needs to rest up. I better go to see what your father is up to."

"I'll come with you," said Edith. "I'll see you later, Sybil."

Sybil smiled at Edith.

"We won't, Mama," said Mary. "I just wanted to keep Sybil company, in case she requires something."

After everyone else left, Sybil spoke up. "I had hoped that Tom might be able to stay. I know he wanted to, very much."

"I asked Matthew to find him and keep him company," said Mary. "So they're probably ensconced in the library drinking Papa's scotch."

"I'm not sure that Tom's up to drinking after the Larry Grey incident back in March." Sybil laughed.

"We haven't seen the Greys since the wedding." Mary smiled. "Though Matthew heard from Papa that Lord Merton sent Larry to India to manage one of their tea plantations for the incident."

"Hopefully, he has better luck than Mr. Pull-." Sybil gasped in pain when another contraction came, pulling at the bedclothes to help with the pain.

"Can I hold your hand?" asked Mary, bewildered.

Sybil shook her head while clenching her teeth and pulling on the bedclothes between her hands to ride out the contraction. About a minute later, Sybil started to relax. "Well, that one's over. Thank goodness." Looking at Mary, she added, "I didn't want to take your hand because I'm afraid that I might crush it. Tom can manage because his hands are stronger. When we deliver babies at the clinic, we give the woman something to bite down on and something to pull. They have extraordinary strength at that moment. When we forget to triple-knot tie the bedclothes to the bed, some will actually pull them out."

"Will you miss working in the clinic in Dublin?"

"I will," said Sybil. "Sarah, Dr. Byrne, was so very good to me. I will miss her and the others at the clinic very much. However, I plan to find another nursing job once I'm done my lying in."

"Won't motherhood be enough?" asked Mary, puzzled.

"I love the thought of being a mother and I plan to dote on this baby." Sybil smiled at her sister. "But after having worked a full day just as Tom has, I want more than just to be changing nappies and wiping spit up, and when they get older and are in school, what will I then do with my time. For now, there's also the need for an income. Until Tom's work pays better, I will need to work to keep a roof over our heads and this baby fed."

"Can't you use the allowance that Papa sends?" asked Mary.

"We already use too much of it for Tom's tastes." Sybil looked down at the bedclothes. "Since we arrived for your wedding, I've had to stop work and we were already having trouble paying the bills on our own before, even when Tom took on odd jobs to keep help keep up. His pride doesn't make it easy for him to accept handouts."

"Consider it a hand up then." Mary put her hand on Sybil's. "We all know that Tom works very hard for his cause and we can see that he cares for you a great deal. We'd prefer if you and the baby didn't have to scramble to survive."

"Thank you, Mary," said Sybil, smiling. "I appreciate your support, but I'll need to talk it over with Tom."

"I understand that you'll need to discuss it. Let's talk of something better." Mary smiled mischievously. "What have you decided to name this baby?"

"Well, there's a bit of a story to what's been decided …"

* * *

Two hours passed rather quickly between the two sisters. Dr. Clarkson, with Mrs. Crawley in tow, checked on Sybil once every half hour, in between getting the tables sanitized and his tools ready, and there had been some progress. When Dr. Clarkson, Mrs. Crawley and Edith arrived this time, the pelvic exam indicated that Sybil was now fully dilated and ninety percent effaced. Mary and Sybil were happy to report that contractions were now about three minutes apart.

Edith approached Sybil on the side Mary was sitting on and looked at her elder sister. "Matthew is in need of relief. He and Mama have been keeping Tom from running upstairs for the last two hours, which is no easy feat."

"Is he all right, Edith?" Sybil looked at her middle sister, slightly concerned.

"He's in good, though tired, hands." Edith smiled. "He'd much rather be by your side."

"I'll go bolster his spirits." Mary rose from the chair. Looking at Sybil, Mary added, "I'll see you once the baby is here."

"Thank you for sitting with me, Mary." Sybil smiled at her.

Mary nodded and left.

* * *

When Mary appeared in the library and Tom spied her, he rose from his chair. "How is she?"

"In good spirits and we're nearly there." Mary smiled. "Dr. Clarkson had returned when Edith arrived and was setting up for the birth."

Tom sat down again when he realized that the baby hadn't been born.

"Come sit by me, darling." Matthew held out a hand to Mary.

When Mary sat down by her husband, Lady Grantham spoke up. "We were just talking about some of the improvements that Matthew wants to make to the house."

Mary turned from her mother to her husband. "Did you tell Tom about the vacuum?"

"He told me that it picks up dirt faster and better than sweeping." Tom was impressed. "The electric motor must create airflow using a fan when you plug it into a source." The mechanically minded part of Tom's brain asserted itself when he thought aloud.

"The best part is that it can pick up dirt in the carpets." Matthew smiled. "No more carpet beating. That should modernize the estate a little."

"Matthew, you ought to tell him about what Carson thought of the toaster." Mary smiled at him.

"Perhaps it would be better coming from you since you heard it from Mrs. Hughes directly." Matthew urged his wife.

"I haven't heard this one," Lady Grantham added, moving closer to Mary and Matthew.

"Well, you all know that Carson likes for things to remain the same ..."

* * *

"Push, Lady Sybil," Dr. Clarkson looked up from between Sybil's legs. "The baby is crowning."

Edith and Lady Grantham were on either side to support her and give her something to push against, if she needed. Sybil didn't like what they gave her to bite down on, so she didn't use it. Lady Grantham had come back upstairs after Mary had told the story about Carson and the toaster. She didn't want to miss the birth of her first grandchild and Sybil was comforted by having her mother by her side.

"I am pushing, Dr. Clarkson." Sybil clenched her teeth and bore down again.

"One more and the baby will be here." Mrs. Crawley observed beside Dr. Clarkson.

Sybil squeezed her eyes shut and pushed again. She felt the baby slip out of her and Dr. Clarkson and Mrs. Crawley scrambled to dry the baby, suction the baby's nose and mouth, clip the umbilical cord and cut it. Sybil was so tired after the final push she laid back down on the pillows. She felt the baby kick between her legs while Dr. Clarkson and Mrs. Crawley worked on the little one. Moments later, she heard a cry.

"It's a boy, Lady Sybil." Dr. Clarkson announced with joy.

"A healthy boy." Mrs. Crawley added, taking the young screaming lad to the sterilized table to give him a quick sponge bath to remove any blood and to clean his head.

Sybil lifted herself onto her elbows at the news and looked over to where Mrs. Crawley was cleaning her child. "A healthy boy? Tom will be pleased. He thought the baby would be a boy from the moment I told him I was expecting."

"Lady Sybil," Dr. Clarkson looked up at her. "I'm going to have to ask you to give a little push to expel the afterbirth and then I'm going to have to suture you. You have a small first degree tear."

Sybil bore down once more and felt the afterbirth come out of her. After feeling something cold, she felt Dr. Clarkson suture her but no pain. Then it dawned on her that Dr. Clarkson used a topical anesthetic for suturing.

While Dr. Clarkson was suturing her, Mrs. Crawley brought the clean baby to Sybil, wrapped in a white blanket. In her arms, the baby looked up at her with unfocused eyes and Sybil marveled at the human being that she and Tom had created. Strong feelings of love welled up in her while she held her son and examined him. She then remembered what Dr. Byrne had told her, which was to nurse the baby as soon as she held him. Lifting the flap of cloth on the birthing gown covering her breasts, she moved the baby toward one of her breasts and he latched quickly to it using the sucking reflex to get his first nourishment.

Lady Grantham and Edith both admired the strong boy while he had his first meal.

"A healthy boy after all these years," Lady Grantham whispered with tears in her eyes.

"I should get Tom, Mary and Matthew from the library." Edith suddenly realized that those in the library may not have heard the cries of the baby.

Lady Grantham laid her hand on Edith's arm. "They can wait until he's had his first meal."

"Of course, Mama." Edith blushed. "I wasn't thinking."

"We can admire him a little until then." Lady Grantham smiled.

Mrs. Crawley came over to the two women after cleaning up. "He's a beautiful, healthy boy. I don't think I've heard a stronger cry."

The other two women smiled while they admired the baby in Sybil's arms.

Soon there after young Master Branson was finished his meal and Edith went to the library to inform the father while Lady Grantham went to her dressing room to inform the grandfather.

* * *

Tom ran up as soon as he saw Edith smiling at the doorway of the library. When he arrived at the room, the first set of eyes he sought was Sybil's, who looked up from smiling at the baby. Dr. Clarkson was putting away his instruments and a housemaid was disposing of the dirtied linens and the medical waste.

Looking up at the sound of the bedroom door opening, she saw Tom and her smile grew much wider. "Would you like to come meet your son?"

Tom's eye grew wide at the mention of the gender. "My son." He walked quickly over to his side of the bed and sat down beside Sybil. His left hand reaching over immediately to caress hers, while his right hand went behind her to steady himself on the bed. Peering at the bundle in Sybil's arms, Tom felt a wave of tenderness toward his son and knew he would love this child for as long as he lived.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?" Sybil turned to look at Tom.

"He's very beautiful and very quiet." Tom smiled at Sybil.

Sybil chuckled. "That's because he's full. He was certainly quite loud when he was born and demanding his meal."

"He's eaten already?" Tom could not hide his surprise.

"He has and he latched right on." Sybil smiled with pride. "Would you like to hold him?"

Tom nodded and took the child from Sybil's arms. The baby's unfocused eyes gazed at his face and yawned. "Are you tired little one?"

"He's had a long day already." Sybil smiled and put her hand at the top of the baby's head to keep a connection between them. "I could feel him kicking throughout labour."

"Did he give you a lot of trouble?" Tom looked at Sybil.

"Not too much." Sybil smiled again. "Dr. Clarkson said I only had a small tear and so required only a few stitches."

"Well that's good because you shouldn't give your ma any trouble." Tom instructed the wee babe.

Sybil smiled at being referred as Ma. "I hope he remembers that when he's teething."

Before Tom replied the door of the bedroom opened and he looked up. Lord Grantham was at the door.

"Papa!" Sybil called out. "Come meet your grandson."

"A grandson!" Tears welled up in Lord Grantham's eyes. _A healthy boy at last._ "I was beginning to despair that boys born in this house were becoming extinct. It will be delightful to see a little boy run around these halls again."

Sybil and Tom looked at one another and said nothing, but smiled at Lord Grantham. They had plans to move from Downton as soon as Sybil's lying in was over. They had just made a final decision a couple of days before, but they didn't want to spoil her father's joyful moment. They wanted to find work and the wilds of Yorkshire didn't have too many jobs for an Irish journalist even if he was Lord Grantham's son-in-law.

"Would you like to hold him, my lord?" Tom looked at his father-in-law.

Lord Grantham looked to Sybil for permission. When Sybil nodded with a smile, the Earl held out his hands to received the small boy. It had been nearly twenty five years since he held such a small babe and here was holding the child of the babe he last held. The boy squirmed in the blankets causing the Earl to worry for a moment about fumbling his grandchild, but instinctively he remembered to rock him a little and the child calmed down again. The new grandfather sat down at the end of the bed to steady himself.

The Earl looked over at his wife by the doorway. "Come and see our first grandchild, Cora."

Lady Grantham had wanted her husband to bond with the child before she came in. She knew that he would melt at the sight of the baby. He always did once the babe was in his arms. She walked over to her husband who held the child and placed her hand on his head.

"Have you see such beautiful blue eyes?" asked the Earl, ebullient with his first grandchild in his arms. "They're your shade of blue."

"Not until now, Robert." Lady Grantham smiled at her husband and then turned to smile at her daughter and son-in-law.

"What's my grandson's name?" asked Lord Grantham innocently.

Before Tom or Sybil could reply, the door of the bedroom opened again to reveal Mary and Matthew.

"May we come in?" asked Mary.

"We don't want to intrude," added Matthew.

"Yes, do come and see your nephew." Sybil smiled at her sister.

"You're not intruding." Tom smiled at his sister- and brother-in-law. "He seems to be enjoying all the attention."

Mary and Matthew huddled over the babe in the Earl's arms and smiled at him and the countess. They smiled and cooed at the baby and greatly admired his facial features. They then passed him between them while Sybil rested her head on Tom's shoulder and closed her eyes. Tom gave Sybil a quick kiss on the head, while no one was looking their way. Soon she was fast asleep. Tom gently shifted her until she was comfortably sleeping on the bed without the others noticing.

After everyone had a turn holding the baby, Dr. Clarkson spoke up. "Now that you've all had a chance to admire the baby, it's time to leave him with his parents. Lady Sybil needs her rest after the labour, especially since she's planning to feed the child herself."

Tom rose from the bed and walked over to the Crawley who had his son. Mary looked guilty when she handed her brother-in-law the baby, once she noticed that Sybil had fallen asleep. One by one, the Crawleys left the room.

Dr. Clarkson made sure they were all out before he turned to Tom. "As I told Lady Sybil, the birth went very well. There wasn't a lot of blood loss and the afterbirth came out whole. She will need to get as much sleep as she can since she is nursing. I left a list of instructions for the overnight on the desk. I will come to check on Lady Sybil and Master Branson tomorrow."

"Thank you, Doctor." Tom rocked the boy in his arms. "I appreciate your presence here."

"If you need anything before my visit tomorrow, just have someone call me."

"Of course, doctor."

"Goodnight, Mr. Branson."

"Goodnight."

After the boy fell asleep in his arms, Tom placed the swaddled bundle in the bassinet and went directly to sleep. He knew that the child would wake up in a few hours demanding his next meal and he wanted to be awake enough to help Sybil if she needed it.

Finis!

**A/N:** So what did you think? When I saw the picture of baby Branson in the _Chronicles_ book, it said boy to me. We'll have to see whether I guessed right or wrong. I have a 50% chance of being right. ;)

As always, please feel free to point out any typos and grammatical errors. Sometimes no matter how hard you or your beta looks, these things get missed. Also, please feel free to point out cultural misnomers or anachronisms, I live in Canada and I know that our terms are often different than those in the UK and Ireland. As always, I'd love to hear what you think, so please do review. :)

P.S. If you don't have access to _The Chronicles of Downton Abbey_ book, the photos that inspired this story are now in my profile.


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